Dentovio
Sign in

State dental exams

Colorado dental licensure exams

For dentist licensure exams in Colorado, Dentovio's sourced state record lists: Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations (iNBDE, which replaced NBDE Parts I/II) plus a Board-accepted clinical competency exam (ADEX/CDCA-WREB-CITA family; WREB retired Dec 31, 2022). Regulation leaves specific clinical exam to Board discretion. Confirm current iNBDE/NBDE, ADEX or other clinical exam, jurisprudence, law-and-rules, endorsement, and pathway-specific requirements with Colorado Dental Board (DORA — Division of Professions and Occupations).

Official board sourceState pathwayLicense requirementsLicense lookup

Exam signals

Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations (iNBDE, which replaced NBDE Parts I/II) plus a Board-accepted clinical competency exam (ADEX/CDCA-WREB-CITA family; WREB retired Dec 31, 2022). Regulation leaves specific clinical exam to Board discretion.

Pathway context

Advanced-standing CODA DDS/DMD only. Colorado Dental Board Rule (3 CCR 709-1) requires a doctorate (DDS/DMD) from a CODA-approved (or, by reciprocity, CDAC-accredited) dental school. A foreign/non-CODA graduate must earn a US CODA DDS/DMD, generally via a 2–3 year advanced-standing program. A CODA GPR/AEGD residency alone does NOT substitute for the degree. The only narrow exception is licensure by endorsement under the Occupational Credential Portability Program (12-20-202(3), C.R.S.) for someone already licensed and in good standing in another US state/territory.

Before applying

  1. Confirm the accepted national board exam and score-report process.
  2. Check which clinical exams or residency alternatives the board accepts.
  3. Verify jurisprudence, law-and-rules, or ethics exam requirements.
  4. Confirm score-age windows, endorsement rules, and pathway-specific exceptions.

Notes

Rule text: foreign grad must 'obtain a doctorate of dental surgery or a doctorate of dental medicine from a dental school approved by CODA' (or CDAC by reciprocity). No residency-only pathway. Colorado recently defended the CODA requirement against legislative attempts to modify it. Board URL is DORA's dental page (dpo.colorado.gov/Dental); verify current clinical-exam acceptance directly with the Board.

Official source

Colorado Dental Board (DORA — Division of Professions and Occupations)

Visit board source